Carly Frennea

Carly Frennea is a doctoral student in marketing at the Jones Graduate School of Business, Rice University. She received her MBA with a concentration in marketing from the Jones School in 2009 and holds a B.S. in public relations with a minor in business from the University of Texas at Austin. Her current research interest is in consumer behavior.

What inspired you to earn a PhD, and why did you choose Rice?During my second year of the MBA program at JGSB, several of the market faculty informed me about the PhD program that was to start the next year and encouraged me to apply. I had not considered doing a PhD before that, but as I thought about it I realized the program was a perfect fit for me. I have always been someone that enjoys school and the opportunity it provides to constantly learn and explore a breadth of topics. The PhD program and a career in academia allow us the freedom to pursue ideas and work that interests us and contribute theoretically, practically, and pedagogically.

Having been in the MBA program at Rice and exposed to the faculty here, I knew I wanted to stay here to earn my PhD. As a new program, everyone, faculty and students, is exceptionally motivated to make the program a success. Not only are the faculty highly productive in their own research, but they provide students with great guidance and support as we embark on our own academic careers.